La Rochelle - Summer 2010 suggestions (1 Viewer)

[errpaul]

We're just planning our August hols....we've pretty much decided to look for somewhere within walking distance from beach in La Rochelle, that is suitable for kids (our 10 year old and maybe our 9 year old nephew if we decide we can cope with 2 smelly boys!!) .
Any suggestions on a suitable place to stay?? Has anyone else stayed in La Rochelle that could offer any advice?

Also we were thinking of routes, and the best/most pleasant route down? Would probably avoid tolls due to the extra cost (just about bearable when we used to go across France etc in the car but obviously even more, and hard to justify in the van).

We were thinking of 2 weeks, with a week at La Rochelle, and a week split between getting there and back, and, as we have Disney annual passports, 2 or 3 days there, probably on the way back. :thumb:

 

[haganap]

hi
we have been to la rochelle and all down the atlantic coast. Not my favourite and much better if you can travel a little further south.
Lots of Aires around but expect it to be busy in august. Good water parks etc for the kids. What I would be prepared for though is that if you are going to use sites is the cost bank on £50-65 per night for many sites.

We done la Rochelle on the way back up last year. It is nice and dont want to offend anyone, but a little too English for my liking although very pretty.

Have a good time.

 

[errpaul]

hi
we have been to la rochelle and all down the atlantic coast. Not my favourite and much better if you can travel a little further south.
Lots of Aires around but expect it to be busy in august. Good water parks etc for the kids. What I would be prepared for though is that if you are going to use sites is the cost bank on £50-65 per night for many sites.

We done la Rochelle on the way back up last year. It is nice and dont want to offend anyone, but a little too English for my liking although very pretty.

Have a good time.

Thanks :thumb:
How much further south would you say? What places on the Atlantic ocast do you recommend?
Wow...that's a lot for site fees...we hadn't banked on that as initially started looking at Normndy and Britanny areas and site were a maximum of £30 there.
Is there a restriction on how long you can stay in an aire or are they all different? Am I right in thinking that we wouldn't be allowed to put up a drive-away awning in an aire?

Cheers

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[WillH]

We stayed on Il de Re a couple of years ago, miles of beaches and cycle tracks. Went there when the kids where with us and they enjoyed it.

Rgds
Bill

 

[JRa]

There is a guarded parking place for 100 campers behind the train station
Service is available but no electricity, the cost is 5 Euro's including bus tickets to and from the city (and beach) - although it's only a walking distance.
Coordinates are: 46.152253 (N) and -1.139771 (W)
We've been there last year in June when we returned from the South of France on our way to Brittany and Normandy back home - Nice place to be there for a few days .

 

[mymotorhome]

La Rochell

Nice site in Royan (Le Logis du Breuil) recommended by the caravan club, page 49 in their travel services europe guide 2009. We stayed at this site, beaches are close by(by car). Site nice and big, lots of space between units. Have a good one anyway
Pete:Cool:

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[Diabalo]

Il de re gets my thumbs up been there a couple of times in June miles of beach plenty of safe flat cycle routes, we stayed here about £25 a night not sure what it would be in August, plus theres a hefty toll over the bridge. Bus goes into La Rochell, worth a visit with a great aquarium. :thumb:

The other site we stayed at was here just down the coast from La rochell on the mainland and again the bus goes past the site.:thumb:

 

[Baggins]

Great place

I never tire La Rochelle and always call in when going down the coast. Perfect size for walking exploration, wonderful marina and plenty to do.

Save a few bob - in fact enough bobs to enjoy many other things - by staying on the large carpark/Aire (FREE) situated at the top end of the linear park (you will spot it easily on GoogleEarth). About 20 designated bays but sometimes many more vans there. Lit at night and very quiet.

5 minutes to town 15 minutes walk through park to great beach.

Every time I intend only to stay a day or two but it ends up a week.

BW

 

[haganap]

I do stay in aires often but with young Kids always feel they need a site from time to time. Only a little older than the ones your taking. They like a pool other kids to play with etc. Try and mix the two up and make your money go further. remember you have a motorhome and its designed to keep moving.

Try here for a comprehensive list of sites with good review. www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/europe/

Loads of sites and you can plan a mix for whilst away. One further thing that we do is never ever book. It has only ever caught us out once and that was on the Med when we ended up in a chav site, charged £60 per night and told dont hang your designer underwear out cause it will get nicked. We fitted in great

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[SpongeBobsDad]

Try Ille de Oleron just south of la Rochelle, something for everyone ,good beaches loads of campsites of all descriptions. Plenty for the kids to do a fantastic new water park has been built near Dolus and a free camp aire next to it, go to Boyardville the beach is great ,and you can take boat trips out to fort Boyard (tv fame) and Ille de AXE another small island, I think Bonaparte was held prisoner there. I have been going there for years its one of my favorite places in France, it can get busy at holiday times but you can always find somewhere that is not to crowded. :thumb::thumb:

 

[lavieyuca]

La Rochelle is one of my favourit places. I was at motorhome area that includes bus ticket. Next to La Rochelle it's Ile de Re .I was at campsite L'Ocean (campingCheque), you can ciclying through all the island and you will find fantastic beachs, and small villages with tipical markets, restaurants and docks

 

[cherok]

Hi,

There are some nice sites in La Palmyre just north of Royan.

Plenty going on in the centre with bars and restaurants but I can't comment on the beach as we didn't visit it but there is a nice sandy one just as you leave the town near to the Club Med village. Beaches to to the north between Charente and Vendee are long and beautiful but they can be a bit rough weather-wise for bathing...not called the Cote Sauvage for nothing! We love it though.

I have to agree with some of the others that the Islands are pretty lovely too!

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[gwyntaxi]

hi you,ll be lucky if you can find enough room in L.R. @that time of year there is a large car park/come aire by the marina, its VERY large we,ve stayed there twice 4 a
few days at a time.there was no charge, beach opposite carpark in opposite direction
to marina about 200 yards walk, lL.R town centre approx. 20 mins. walk (1 mile) away
nice place, but very busy.:thumb:

 

[errpaul]

Thanks for all your replies. I think we have now decided to stay a couple of days in an aire in La Rochelle and then go to Ile de re and stay on a site for a week or so.
The site that's winning at the moment is at 'la flotte en re' and is called 'la grainetiere camping'
Link Removed

Has anyone any experience of this site?

Also we're looking at a couple of routes avoiding tolls, both from Calais.
The 1st would be along the coast, then once we reach St.Malo (or somewhere near there) down through to Rennes and Nantes.
The 2nd would along the coast as far as Le Havre, then inland to Le mans, and past Tours.

Has anyone used these routes or are there any better suggestions. Also, realistically how many driving hours roughly will it take to do these? Non toll roads obviously.

Also any ideas on driving time on non toll roads from La Rochelle to Paris?

Lots of questions I know so thank you all again:thumb: